Wind Power News: India
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
India to end wind farm tax break next fiscal, official says
India will discontinue a tax break for wind farms starting in April, the beginning of the financial year, potentially stalling growth in a $3 billion market dominated by turbine-supplier Suzlon Energy Ltd. (SUEL) “Accelerated depreciation will go away in April,” Dilip Nigam, director of wind policy at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, said in an interview in Mumbai today. General Electric Co., Siemens AG, and Spain’s Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica SA (GAM) are expanding wind-turbine manufacturing capacity in India . . .
Suzlon to develop 3,000 MW of wind energy in Andra Pradesh
India’s largest wind turbine manufacturer Suzlon Energy will develop 3,000 MW in Andra Pradesh by 2016 with a potential investment of Rs.18,000 crore. The company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government during last week’s Partnership Summit 2012 in Hyderabad. Andra Pradesh is one of the fastest emerging wind energy destinations in the country. As per the MoU, the state government will help Suzlon in obtaining mandatory permissions, registrations, approvals and clearances necessary for developing wind-based energy . . .
Each windmill is a factory: Court
Chennai, Dec. 24: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ruled that each windmill is a factory. What more? To put up a windmill in Tamil Nadu, it is also necessary to obtain the permission of the local panchayat body, the Court held. Manufacturing process In the dispute between Mr S. Muppidathi and several others, including Global Wind Infrastructure and Services Pvt Ltd, the Court held that, “a windmill generates electricity and is therefore, a factory involved in . . .
Telugu Desam blows hot over wind contract
The Telugu Desam has alleged that large-scale irregularities took place while awarding contracts to three firms for generating 800 megawatt Wind Energy projects in Anantapur district, flouting norms. TD general secretary and senior legislator Payyavula Kesav on Sunday alleged that Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, without announcing the wind energy policy of the government and without amending the existing norms, had awarded three companies, Het-ero, Axis and another firm (he did not mentioned the name) for generating 800 MW . . .
Stricter grid laws for renewable energy sector soon: CERC
Ahmedabad, Nov 30 (PTI) The renewable energy (RE) sector will soon be in for stricter grid laws and standards compliance regime, a member of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission said here today. The power sector regulator CERC also expressed concern over the high cost of wind power in the nation and blamed the wind equipment manufacturers for ”exploiting” the market, owing to lack of transparency. “The renewable energy sector must follow the grid laws and standards strictly. The metering at their . . .
The wild cats at Bhadra Tiger Reserve can breathe easy
Wildlife conservationists have won a legal battle in stalling two projects that would have upset the ecologically fragile shola-grassland forests buffering the Bhadra Tiger Reserve in Chikmagalur district. Organisations such as Bhadra Wildlife Conservation Trust, Nature Conservation Guild, WildCAT-C and WildCANE and local wildlife conservation NGOs in Chikmagalur, have been waging a legal battle against a proposed wind farm and a resort-cum-spa in the region. The state government had, on April 17, 2003, leased 305.37acres to Karnataka Renewal Energy Development . . .
Birds concern stall windmills
Concern over adverse impact of windmills on birds has stalled major clean energy projects in India. An environment ministry committee has refused to approve any wind energy projects till impact of these windmills on avifauna and bats is fully examined. A study by wildlife conservation organization ELA Foundation, Pune, has found that windmills restrict the path of birds and has been cause of disappearance of many birds in certain areas. More comprehensive studies in west have indicated that lakhs of . . .
Windmills near Maharashtra mascot’s home, green brigade rings alarm bells
Punaji Thubal, a farmer in Kharpud village, about 80 km from Pune, points at a mass of gravel that has entered his paddy field. He says it came from a road laid uphill to transport parts of a series of windmills. Some of these are being set up 3.5 km from the boundary of Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the Indian giant squirrel, or shekru, state animal of Maharashtra. Destruction of the shekru’s habitat is among the concerns expressed by . . .
Evacuation issues haunt wind power producers in Tamil Nadu
“No more in Tamil Nadu,” says Mr P.P. Gupta, folding his hands in resignation, “until grid issues are resolved.” For the Managing Director of Techno Electric & Engineering Company, the topic of transmission infrastructure in Tamil Nadu – a State in which the company has heavily invested – is always touchy. This is understandable, since Techno Electric lost 50 million units in generation due to “forced back-down”. At the average price that the State-owned electricity utility, TANGEDCO, buys electricity Techno . . .
Unscheduled power cuts leave residents sweating
When contacted, a senior officer of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) conceded that there was unscheduled power cut for about an hour and attributed it to the decline in wind power generation.
